Computer-readable recording medium recording answering program, answering method, and answering device

Abstract

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium stores therein an answering program for causing a computer to execute processing including: receiving a first inquiry from a terminal; referring to a memory that stores a category, content of an inquiry that belongs to the category, and answer candidates with respect to the inquiry in association with each other and acquiring answer candidates with respect to the received first inquiry; and outputting the answer candidates or the category to which the answer candidates belong to the terminal according to a number of the acquired answer candidates.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored therein an answering program for causing a computer to execute processing comprising:
 receiving a first inquiry from a terminal;   referring to a memory that stores a category, content of an inquiry that belongs to the category, and answer candidates with respect to the inquiry in association with each other and acquiring answer candidates with respect to the received first inquiry; and   outputting the answer candidates or the category to which the answer candidates belong to the terminal according to a number of the acquired answer candidates.   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored therein the answering program according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the outputting processing outputs the answer candidates to the terminal in a case where the number of acquired answer candidates is less than a predetermined number, and outputs the categories, to which the acquired answer candidates belong, to the terminal, in a case where the number of acquired answer candidates is equal to or more than the predetermined number.   
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored therein the answering program according to  claim 2 , wherein
 in a case where the number of acquired answer candidates is equal to or more than the predetermined number, the outputting processing outputs a certain number of categories among the categories to which the acquired answer candidates belong and a selection field that indicates that no category corresponds to the inquiry to the terminal, and   the computer-readable recording medium having stored therein the answering program causes a computer to execute processing further comprising:   in a case where selection of the selection field is accepted, outputting non-displayed categories among the categories to which the acquired answer candidates belong to the terminal.   
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored therein the answering program according to  claim 3 , wherein
 in a case where the selection of the selection field is accepted, the outputting processing displays the non-displayed categories in a case where a number of answer candidates obtained by excluding the answer candidates in the categories that have been already displayed from the acquired answer candidates is equal to or more than a predetermined number, and displays the answer candidates not displayed in a case where the number of answer candidates obtained by excluding the answer candidates in the categories that have been already displayed from the acquired answer candidates is less than the predetermined number.   
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored therein the answering program according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in a case where the categories are hierarchized, the outputting processing outputs a category in a lowest layer among the categories to which the answer candidates belong to the terminal.   
     
     
         6 . An answering method comprising:
 receiving, by a computer, a first inquiry from a terminal;   referring to a memory that stores a category, content of an inquiry that belongs to the category, and answer candidates with respect to the inquiry in association with each other and acquiring answer candidates with respect to the received first inquiry; and   outputting the answer candidates or the category to which the answer candidates belong to the terminal according to a number of the acquired answer candidates.   
     
     
         7 . The answering method according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the outputting processing outputs the answer candidates to the terminal in a case where the number of acquired answer candidates is less than a predetermined number, and outputs the categories, to which the acquired answer candidates belong, to the terminal, in a case where the number of acquired answer candidates is equal to or more than the predetermined number.   
     
     
         8 . The answering method according to  claim 7 , wherein
 in a case where the number of acquired answer candidates is equal to or more than the predetermined number, the outputting processing outputs a certain number of categories among the categories to which the acquired answer candidates belong and a selection field that indicates that no category corresponds to the inquiry to the terminal, and   in a case where selection of the selection field is accepted, non-displayed categories among the categories to which the acquired answer candidates belong to the terminal are displayed.   
     
     
         9 . The answering method according to  claim 8 , wherein
 in a case where the selection of the selection field is accepted, the outputting processing displays the non-displayed categories in a case where a number of answer candidates obtained by excluding the answer candidates in the categories that have been already displayed from the acquired answer candidates is equal to or more than a predetermined number, and displays the answer candidates not displayed in a case where the number of answer candidates obtained by excluding the answer candidates in the categories that have been already displayed from the acquired answer candidates is less than the predetermined number.   
     
     
         10 . The answering method according to  claim 6 , wherein
 in a case where the categories are hierarchized, the outputting processing outputs a category in a lowest layer among the categories to which the answer candidates belong to the terminal.   
     
     
         11 . An answering device comprising:
 a memory; and   a processor coupled to the memory and configured to:   receive a first inquiry from a terminal;   refer to the memory that stores a category, content of an inquiry that belongs to the category, and answer candidates with respect to the inquiry in association with each other and acquiring answer candidates with respect to the received first inquiry; and   output the answer candidates or the category to which the answer candidates belong to the terminal according to a number of the acquired answer candidates.   
     
     
         12 . The answering method according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the processor outputs the answer candidates to the terminal in a case where the number of acquired answer candidates is less than a predetermined number, and outputs the categories, to which the acquired answer candidates belong, to the terminal, in a case where the number of acquired answer candidates is equal to or more than the predetermined number.   
     
     
         13 . The answering method according to  claim 12 , wherein
 in a case where the number of acquired answer candidates is equal to or more than the predetermined number, the processor outputs a certain number of categories among the categories to which the acquired answer candidates belong and a selection field that indicates that no category corresponds to the inquiry to the terminal, and   in a case where selection of the selection field is accepted, outputs non-displayed categories among the categories to which the acquired answer candidates belong to the terminal.   
     
     
         14 . The answering method according to  claim 13 , wherein
 in a case where the selection of the selection field is accepted, the processor displays the non-displayed categories in a case where a number of answer candidates obtained by excluding the answer candidates in the categories that are already displayed from the acquired answer candidates is equal to or more than a predetermined number, and displays the answer candidates not displayed in a case where the number of answer candidates obtained by excluding the answer candidates in the categories that have been already displayed from the acquired answer candidates is less than the predetermined number.   
     
     
         15 . The answering method according to  claim 11 , wherein
 in a case where the categories are hierarchized, the processor outputs a category in a lowest layer among the categories to which the answer candidates belong to the terminal.